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Title: Low-temperature friction-stir welding of 2024 aluminum

Journal Article · · Scripta Materialia
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Texas, El Paso, TX (United States). Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Solid-state, friction-stir welding (FSW) has been demonstrated to involve dynamic recrystallization producing ultra-fine, equiaxed grain structures to facilitate superplastic deformation as the welding or joining mechanism. Since the recrystallization temperature also decreases with increasing strain rate, the FSW process is somewhat complicated because the ambient temperature, the frictional heating fraction, and the adiabatic heating fraction (proportional to the product of strain and strain-rate) will all influence both the recrystallization and grain growth within the FSW zone. Significantly reducing the ambient temperature of the base metal or work pieces to be welded would be expected to reduce the residual weld-zone grain size. The practical consequences of this temperature reduction would be the achievement of low-temperature welding. This study compares the residual grain sizes and microstructures in 2024 Al friction-stir welded at room temperature ({approximately} 30 C) and low temperature ({minus} 30 C).

OSTI ID:
691355
Journal Information:
Scripta Materialia, Vol. 41, Issue 8; Other Information: PBD: 10 Sep 1999
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English